Dear Mom,
I want to thank you for the wonderful life you have given me. Growing up
without Pete ever being around, I never felt like I was missing out on
anything, thank you for being both mom and dad. I want you to know how proud I
am of you for retiring this year after your twenty plus years of teaching.
Throughout those years, you battled brain tumors, breast cancer and a hellish
divorce; you are the strongest woman I know. I hope I can be even half the
woman and mom you are someday. Thank you for moving on as best as you could
after the divorce. I want to thank you for teaching me how to be a strong and
independent woman and for pushing me to pursue my education. Thank you for teaching me how important it is
to be able to stand alone before standing with someone else. Thank you for
paying for my college tuition so I don’t have any college loans hanging over my
head. Thank you for not giving up on me that day when I told you that I didn’t
want to live anymore. Thank you for
sacrificing your happiness for the sake of Jennifer and me ever since we were
little. Thank you for saving me from countless unhappy and dangerous situations
even when I fought you on them, I have learned that at times I may not see it
but you truly do know what is best for me. Thank you for stopping Josh from
continuing to abuse me when you found out what was going on; I truly don’t know
if I ever would have been strong enough to get out of that relationship on my
own. Thank you for all the times you grounded me or punished me when I was out
of line so that I have become a well-rounded person with boundaries. Thank you
for setting boundaries but letting me have enough freedom to be young and enjoy
my life. Thank you for always helping me when I am in a bind. Thank you for
dealing with my picky eating and always making me a second meal different than
what you guys ate. Thank you for dealing with my quirks and nuisances. Thank you for always being on my side and
showing me right from wrong. Thank you for tucking me in every night and
checking on me the silly amount of times I would ask you to. Thank you for your countless words of wisdom,
smartass remarks, snarky comebacks and wise advice on life, love and the
pursuit of happiness you have given over the years. More than that thank you
for continuing to give them regardless of if I listen or not. Thank you for all the small and large things
you have done for me over the 28 years I have been alive that I may not have
said thank you for or seemed grateful for, I am truly lucky to call you my mom.
Thank you for being a fighter and a
survivor and showing me what true strength is both emotionally and physically.
Thank you for being my best friend, my role model, and my mom. I love you so
much.
Your
favorite child,
Katie